Andy_P

Your thoughts and votes please...

I know what you are saying, we've definitely drawn the short straw in comparison to those who'll land on the BBC and don't need to pay but I think it's £12.99 for a month (which you can subsequently cancel) which is the equivalent, give or take £1, to what we paid for Formartine or what Morton fans paid to watch our stream. Depends on what other interests you might have as to how much "value" you get for your £12.99 if anyone does subscribe. I watch a lot of the Serie A stuff on it and the La Liga run will be part of your package. You get the occasional Dutch and Polish stuff too across their channels and if you've an interest in rugby it'll have a couple of Glasgow Warriors/Edinburgh games on it across the month too. Personally I probably have Premier on more than BT and Sky these days. But aye in comparison to those who'll simply flick on the BBC to watch their team we've not landed as lucky as we might have.

Did people believe when Barraclough said he wanted us to be challenging for the title, that in the dressing room he was saying the ambitions of the club are that they should be challenging for the title? I expect in most cases not. So when Robinson/Burrows/the board say they have a budget that comes in ninth or tenth in the league what makes people believe they are telling the players the sum of the ambitions of the club is ninth or tenth?

Fence sitting stuff me, I really don't know how this will go. My first thought is a bit like Kilmarnock a couple of weeks ago there is a more pressing need for them to get a win. Allied to that they'll have had something like 10 days to focus on a game that they will surely have earmarked as their most winnable fixture of the post-split fixtures. Meanwhile we've chased about two hours plus only a few days before. But then I think some games where we've been in their position and for whatever reason just didn't turn up. In fact there was a complete role reversal in 2015 when we went there pretty desperate for a win, they didn't really have anything to play for but still beat us 2-0. My hope is that we get one of those half decent performances we conjour up every wee while and they are so keyed about the importance of them getting a win that they freeze.

Last Lanarkshire derby in the league for a while? Make it so!

Your thoughts and votes please...

Very much this. The SFA will remember when Diana died and the heat that came their way when they didn't fall into line quick enough to move Scotland v Belarus to the Sunday. Whilst we live in a Union under a Monarch (if that's the correct turn of phrase) then I don't think it unreasonable to broadly follow the protocols that are in place when a senior member of the Royal family pass away. And if that means sporting events require to move a few hours or the day or before or after then so be it. That said if you no longer wish to be part of that Union and perhaps even desire a loosening of the attachment to the Monarchy thereafter there's a process on 6th May that some argue that will be the starting point for such a future. EDIT: Largely what numpty said more concisely about four posts ahead of me! EDIT EDIT: And GazzyB thereafter!!

I think you do the board a bit of a disservice in suggesting that they don't have an appreciation of what a particular level of spend will bring. I remember it being remarked upon at an AGM a year or two back of the necessity of upping the budget for Stephen Robinson otherwise they knew where it would lead. It didn't necessarily equate to moving up the ladder in terms of spending but it did ensure they weren't being left behind. I don't disagree the rebuild is crucial but I'm not sure it's any more or less important than any other year. The Tommy McLean style days of being able to build sides over three or four years knowing you could generally rely on players being there for the duration are I fear long gone. Whether we like it or not there will be very few of those of the stature we won't to ensure we are an established top six side going to commit to us for anything more than a couple of years at a time. We are always going to be a state of change to some degree.

Your thoughts and votes please...

Every day is a school day and all that!

Get it mathematically sorted as soon as. No better time to start than Saturday.

Ah I see. Got you. The Fir Park games do put something of a different slant on things!

Not that overdue, they beat us in 2015.

I've fought his corner across his time at the club so I find the breakdown in relations quite sad. Polworth had his critics even when he was delivering a number of assists and the odd goal or two last season so there's no question there's always been doubts from many about his ability but first season I did enjoy watching him and felt there was a player there that brought something to the team. Second season has been awful though, there's no denying that. It's speculative as to whether he took the hump about getting sidelined due to the brief return of Turnbull and never quite got over that, or whether the pandemic has caused difficulties off the field but there's no question on what we've seen from him on the park this season the sooner he's out the door the better for all concerned. There were claims that the red at Pittodrie was almost a deliberate attempt to get himself sent off and whilst I might have taken that with a pinch of salt there was no question it was daft on his part. To then follow that up with the penalty conceded against St Johnstone though was just utter stupidity. I would say Alexander has demonstrated that he isn't the least bit bothered about having Polworth in his team and Polworth has responded in kind. A bit sad all the same.

Your thoughts and votes please...

Genuine question here, are you saying that from having detailed knowledge of all of the Hamilton players or simply a cursory glance at the league table? Do the names McFadden, Hammell, Lasley and Pearson mean anything to you, all of whom who played in a side that but for a "gift" would have been relegated.

If it's any consolation, you aren't alone. I thought Kat was referring to season 00'01's away kit which is the one Kaiser is wearing!

Is that not the one I've posted earlier in the thread?

I'm fairly sure we wore it at Tannadice .

He's hanging around the Loanees II thread eagerly awaiting the outcome of your deliberations.

Nice! Great work. A very minor point but white shorts with the Patrick away kit in the early eighties though? Any recollections I have/images I've seen (such as away at Pittodrie around 83ish and in the 84'85 team photo) have us in claret shorts. You're also missing one that was worn during the Terry Butcher years away to East Fife in the League Cup and I think against Partick Thistle. I believe it was actually originally a training/warm top that ended up being used on a handful of occasions.

Consider it done.

Following on from the contracted players. Are there any of the loanees you'd like to see return?

Following on from the contracted players. Who are you looking give another chance to from the loanees?

As per ohwulliewullie's request, tonight Matthew you're gonna be Graham Alexander. Who are you keeping, who are you letting go?